One great mind have said it well that “Change is the only constant in the life”

What is the difference between hardware and software? One aspect suggests that “Hardware is likely to have mechanical parts that are subjected to wear and tear, and will need maintenance and replacement to extend continues service. While software do not have any mechanical parts and it is not subject to wear and tear.” 

If we live in static world, this would be true, but unfortunately or rather fortunately we don’t live in static world. Like many other things, software or the environment within with it gets used changes. Change in the way business operates that uses the software i.e. requirement change, enhancements to support extended business needs, change in environment within which software was assumed to run, or any other assumption within which software was built proves to be wrong, these are some of the example why software needs regular maintenance.

In science entropy is well used word for explaining gradual decline in disorder. It is bound to happen, over the period of time till equilibrium is achieved. If I draw the analogy, well engineered code at one point is order state. In changing world demand towards software changes, and  it will be inevitable to have the situation in life cycle of the software that it would go towards disordered state. I have accepted this to be fact until proven wrong, and based of I would suggest business that depends on the software that put effort and money to bring the software back to ordered state, otherwise one is bound to pay higher cost down the line. Do talk to engineering team to understand accumulated disorder, and prioritize it in the backlog. Earlier it is done better it is.